Most pleasure craft in the size range of 30-90 feet are docked alongside a quay, or are secured in a slip. For securing a boat to a quay, four lines are typically required—a bowline, a stern line, and two spring lines, fore and aft. The bow and stern lines hold the craft to the dock, and the spring lines prevent it from moving fore and aft. One or more bumpers are usually needed to prevent chafing against the dock, and each bumper is held in place by one or two lines. A disadvantage with bumpers is that they are bulky and require extra storage space on the craft to avoid them moving around while underway.
Securing a boat in a standard slip typically requires five lines—two bowlines, two stern lines, and one spring line. Bumpers are not normally required, although they may be employed depending on the size and layout of the slip.
If the craft has a crew, which is normally the case for significantly larger boats, docking is ordinarily not a problem for the owners of the boat. The crew takes care of it, and the owners are not concerned about maneuvering the boat or how much time it takes to secure the boat.
For yachts in the 30 to 65-90 foot range, many owners wish to operate the craft by themselves. They may employ a captain in certain circumstances, but they usually enjoy the actual boat operation themselves. They may take pleasure from the navigation and steering; they may wish the privacy that comes from not having a crew; they may regard the expense and management of a crew as burdensome; or some part or all of the above. In many instances, the owners of such yachts are couples, typically husband and wife, and it is not unusual of the husband to assume the role of captain and the wife first mate. When the yacht is underway, typically no major issues arise, as the captain usually assumes responsibility for the navigation and operation of the boat and, if the boat is equipped with an autopilot, most of the steering is accomplished automatically. However, docking the boat can be challenging, where the captain is fully occupied positioning the vessel, and the mate assumes responsibility for setting the lines and securing the vessel. Tension between the captain and his mate is not uncommon during these procedures, and can spoil what has otherwise been a pleasant voyage.
A need exists for a docking system which eliminates or reduces the time and skill required for crew members to position a vessel on docking. The present invention seeks to satisfy that need.